Chicago Cubs: What do the Cubs need to do to turn it around?

The Chicago Cubs are in a rut. Not a good rut–but also not bad. They’re stuck in .500 land and can’t seem to get out of it. So what do the Cubs need to do to get on track?

It’s been a “blah” sort of season for the Chicago Cubs. They’ve been shutout three times by their opponents. They had that utterly ridiculous game that. Why should it have ever been played? It was a fantastic site to see–especially if you had to listen to the Braves’ announcers. But there are plenty of other issues going on with this team. Some might be attributed to the weather, while others aren’t.

We’re going to take a look at a few things that might need a change on this club–and some you’ve already thought of. But regardless, many of these will sort themselves out along the way. The only thing is will they sort themselves out with enough time to go?

This start isn’t what we had in mind, not by any means. While we thought the Cubs would come out like in 2016 and take the division by storm? That’s been the farthest thing from the truth. They aren’t horrible. Don’t get me wrong. The Cubs show some flashes of brilliance along the way. But they’re mediocre. A “ho-hum” season thus far that needs to change–and for the better.

Rizzo needs to pick it up a notch

Let me say that I don’t have any real concern about Anthony Rizzo. Yes, he’s struggling at the plate. And no, he isn’t going to continue that way. But the Cubs need him to pick things up a bit with so many of their offensive weapons missing in action. As the weather warms up, so will Rizzo. I mean, he’s been hit four times already. That has to take a toll on the body in this weather. But his best days are ahead of him.

In his career, he averages a .248 in March/April. In May it bumps up to a .263. And come June he’s averaging a career-high .284. So it will take some time for him to come around. In May of last season, Rizzo hit just .194 for the month. Then in June, he found his way to a .320. He tailed off at the end of the season, batting just .236 in September and October. This would be where getting him some time off would be good in the long run.

Rizzo needs to get his at-bat’s where he can, but also take his breaks. He was one of the few that said the Cubs need to play fewer games. But he’s also the guy who goes out and plays on every one of them if he can. This is the middle ground that Rizzo needs to find for himself.

Cubs pitching need to find its way

There’s no sugarcoating it. The Cubs’ pitching stinks. Even Kyle Hendricks has struggled, allowing four home runs in his three games. And to be honest, it’s not that bad. But one bad inning does a start make. You can be good for four innings. Have a bad fifth? Your day is ruined, and your start is wasted. So how can the Cubs right the ship?

This sounds easy, and I realize it as I say it. But they need to minimize the bad innings. Yu Darvish allowed four runs following the balk in the Atlanta game. The same can be said for Jose Quintana. Pitched well for four innings, came unglued after that allowing six runs. It’s not as if the Cubs are getting picked at for one run after another. It’s about giving them all up together, but enough to cost them the game.

The bullpen has been magnificent. But the more you have to put on their plate, the more the cracks are going to show. The Cubs bullpen was built better for this than last year. But it’s difficult when you put your starters out there for five innings or less, then march your pen out there. That’s not the successful season you are hoping for.

Ever onward, ever upward–we hope

It’s been said before, and I’ll say it again. It’s only 15 games. There is plenty of time for the Cubs to correct their mistakes from this point forward. For Rizzo, he has to play better. And he will. And as often as Javier Baez seems to be playing well, he’s batting just .235. We don’t need all of the players to come around at the same time. But we at least need a few of them.

It seems that when the pitching comes around, hitting doesn’t. Or vice versa. But they have yet to get on the same path when it comes to the two of them. I firmly believe that the Cubs will pick up the pace. I also feel like the Pirates aren’t going to stay up there for long. But again, it all about the Cubs ability to shake off the cold start (literally and figuratively) and get going.

Next: Butler is the Cubs unsung hero

This is something that I hope will work itself out. We are still in April, and there’s lots of time to figure this out. But what I don’t wish for is for it to be late-June and the Cubs are still mulling their way through the Central standings. That, my friends, would be a dangerous situation.